2015/01/22

Prolog to BABYMETAL DEATH

Prologue to "BABYMETAL DEATH" in Legend "1997"

Legend One-Nine-Nine-Seven.
It is the story that, receiving the legendary corset from the god of the Metal,
she abandons being human and shall be reborn as a goddess.
The gene which has been determined from ancient time
is destined to be guided, boarding on the ark of time.
The apocalypse prophesied
the DOOMSDAY. Towards it,
there remains...
little time...

(5) Are You (4) Ready to (3) (2) Mosh'sh (1) Mosh'sh (0) Mosh'sh

ROMAJI TRANSCRIPTION AND NOTES ARE BELOW.

[i] About the Crucifixion of SU-METAL

In the middle of the tune, SU-METAL was crucified, and a strange ceremony continued. You need not read this note if you think it's just 'his' nonsense skit and it has nothing to do with the thoughts of Miss Suzuka, Miss Yui, Miss Moa, and ordinary Japanese fans & people. I, however, have to write a bit as a non-Christian Japanese.

Firstly, I know crucifixion has a special meaning to Christians, but it is a common method of execution all over the world, and the historical fact is that Jesus of Nazareth was executed as a traitor by Roman Empire. Secondly, many Japanese fans doubt why SU-METAL should be crucified in her birthday celebration.

Probably the crucifixion of SU-METAL is related to the line "she abandons being human and shall be reborn as a goddess", but, except some suicidal cults, no people in the world will to crucify their important member by themselves. It might have been less bad if, like the Holy Crucifixion, her enemy (= the big power "Idols") had appeared on the stage, they had crucified her, and YUIMETAL & MOAMETAL had just been watching from a distance.

In Japanese manga, scheduled death is sometimes depicted to exaggerate the harshness of the task (e.g. the final examination of the martial artists is the fight to the death), but it is the sensationalism that appeals probably only to (Japanese) young boys. (Unnecessary addition: During the World War II, some Japanese teachers, etc. agitated pure & naive young boys by such sensationalism to make them kamikaze attackers, etc. Many didn't want their sons/friends/pupils to enter "Yokaren" (= naval pilot school) but couldn't oppose it openly. I've read some agitators' confessions of remorse, but never heard any of them took full responsibility like a samurai or some commanders of the front.)

I don't know whether 'he' had strangely confused the image of crucified Christ & Tridentine Mass with Black Mass or 'he' intended such sensationalism as said above, but the ceremony looked odd to probably most Japanese, too. Probably even 'his' faithful worshipers would not take it seriously. I'm sorry if 'his' skit offends Christians.

[ii] About the Destruction of the Statue of the Holy Mother

At the end of the tune, the statue of the holy mother was destroyed. Many of the audience were worried whether or not any members had been injured, and not a few criticized such a dangerous staging. You need not read this note if you think it's just 'his' ...(same as above).

After the concert, on some BBS, not a few guys said naively: "The destruction is no problem because it's the homage to Metallica (an American thrash metal band)". I read some other's explanation of Metallica's case: The movie "...And Justice for All" inspired them to write a song. Both dealt with the corrupt judicial system of U.S.A. They sing "Lady Justice has been raped", "Seeking no truth, winning is all", etc. They destroyed the statue of some "goddess of justice" at the end of their concert to symbolize the Americans (including them) are trampling justice.

Those naive guys also made excuses: "It had nothing to do with Christianity because it was the statue of some goddess (officially announced), not of Maria." etc. On that BBS, however, not a few criticized them like this: "You don't know what homage is. Metallica dealt with the problem of their own society. Their destruction was a kind of self-criticism. If ignoring such context, it's not homage but just poor & nonsense parody."

Probably those guys & 'he' didn't have hostility towards Christianity or religion in general, but naively felt the destruction was cool (and mimicked it). Probably they didn't know well the meaning of protest, resistance, etc. because many Japanese men have little felt oppression by religion or other authority since 1980's(?) (but it may be well hidden) while Japanese women still sometimes feel the oppression by the male-dominant society. I, as an irreligious Japanese, apologize that some irreligious Japanese have offended religious people all over the world.

Prologue to "BABYMETAL DEATH" in Legend "1997"

Romaji Transcription

English Translation

Notes

Rejendo Ichi-Kyuu-Kyuu-Nana.

Legend One-Nine-Nine-Seven.

Sore wa metaru no kami kara densetsu no korusetto o sazukari

It is the story that, receiving the legendary corset from the god of the Metal,

1

hito o sute kami e to umarekawaru monogatari.

she abandons being human and shall be reborn as a goddess.

Inishie yori sadamerareshi idenshi wa

The gene which has been determined from ancient time

2

toki no hakobune ni nori michibikareru unmei nanoda.

is destined to be guided, boarding on the ark of time.

3

Mokushiroku ni shirusareta

The apocalypse prophesied

4

unmei no toki e mukete

the DOOMSDAY. Towards it,

5

nokosareta jikan wa...

there remains...

ato... wazuka...

little time...

(5) Are You (4) Ready to (3) (2) Mosh'sh (1) Mosh'sh (0) Mosh'sh

6

Notes

This "corset" means a neck brace.

I don't know well what are symbolized by this "the gene" and "the ark of time" in the next line.

This "michibikareru" (michibiku) means "to be guided (to somewhere)", that is "to be carried (to somewhere) (by the ark)".

Literally these four lines mean "The time that is left towards the DOOMSDAY that was written in the apocalypse is little".

On the screen, "unmei no toki" (= the time of fate) are superposed on the English word "DOOMSDAY".

In the beginning of the tune, these words are superimposed on the live scene.

16 comments
:

Thank you for the clarification and explanation. I am a Christian and this imagery caused me concern. I thoroughly enjoy Babymetal and am happy to read that my concerns were not valid. Again, thank you.

Thank you so much for this explanation. I do hope more and Christians will search and find this post (and skip reading those awful provocative comments on YouTube). You did wonderful job, thank you for that and your time. I personally really needed to read something like that. Even if I was trying to find excuse for BM it was very hard, for Catholic person such act (especially second "part" with destroying Holly Marry statue) was highly hurtful especially because I like very much music and style of BM. Before reading this post I knew that such part of the concert was result of not sufficient research and not in any way attempt to offend anyone, but still wise words of someone like were necessary to close that matter for me. Thank you again and please keep up good work! You're brilliant!:))

When you say 'he' and 'his', are you referring to the Fox God, Kobametal, or who? I've read a lot of your translations and I've seen the reference several other places among them as well and just wondered if I was missing something. Thanks in advance!

Probably I referred to Kobametal. I wanted to refer to the man who decided to crucify SU-METAL (to destroy the statue of some goddess, etc.). I think Kobametal probably decided it and the stage director just worked out the details, but the stage director may have proposed it and Kobametal (or some executive producer) may have just OK'd.

Unnecessary addition: I think the Fox God is female because she appeared wearing a ribbon on her ear in the CD cover of "IINE", the opening of Legend "D", etc.

I'm not 100% irreligious, being a self-professed "lapsed christian", but I find it hard to take offense to the spectacle that occurred onstage at this point in the concert.

The universe in which the Metal Resistance is occurring is not necessarily (from all appearances)a happy one. Despite the lyrical tone of some of the songs, it appears to me that the back-story shown in the vignettes is quite dark.

This song, and its somewhat grimdark intro, appear immediately after Su-Metal's emotional performance of "Akatsuki ~Unfinished Version~". I haven't explored 100% of your blog, so I don't know if you have a translation of the segment which preceded that song, so I can only go by my own interpretation here : Su-Metal had attempted, in her human form, to fly to something/somewhere (the crimson flame [kurenai honoo]) using a set of man-made wings, similar to those worn by Icarus. When the wings failed, she fell to the ground, mortally wounded - hence the tone of that particular version of the song. Knowing that she couldn't reach her destination in her human form, either she or Yui/Moa (is there a proper "pet name" for them as a pair, other than "Black BabyMetal?) decide to perform the ritual of transformation.

The Crucifixion Scene, whilst perhapse uncomfortable for some, allows for better visual presentation than a scene with Su-Metal laying on an altar (which could be mistaken for Satanism/Black Magic), whilst also alluding to the fact that she is giving up her human form in order to become the savior of the Metal Resistance.

Again, perhaps it was not the most Politically Correct or Culturally Sensitive way of presenting this concept, but I don't think it was meant in an offensive way. Than again, even when I was a practicing Christian I was never the type to scream "BLASPHEMY!!!" when this type of imagery is used.

Thank you for analyzing. As you may know, the vignettes have something in common but often contradict each other in the details, so it may be the case that they are temporary and there is no consistent back-story.

Since I don't really understand Japanese (beyond a few common phrases that I hear a lot in Anime/Games), I didn't know that the back-story in the vignettes have contradictory details.

Do vignettes taken from the same show ever contradict each other, or is it more of a case of vignettes from different shows contradict/negate the story being told at other shows?

I wish I did understand Japanese, and am considering taking steps to learn the language, but that would be a long arduous slog at my age.

What I'd really love to be able to do is take the lore that KobaMetal/BabyMetal have presented us with and build a Kinetic Visual Novel which presents said lore in an easy-to-digest format for english-speaking fans. The problem lies two factors : the language barrier, and lack of 100% complete and accurate translations of the "Legend of The Metal Resistance".

For example: The prologue to the encore of "Legend Z" (2013 Feb.) said "Finally the last chapter of the holy war (= Metal Resistance) begins", and it implied that the encore was the last chapter and BABYMETAL would end at the end of that concert, but the activity was time-limitedly extended.

The epilogue for "Red Night" (2014 Mar.) said "Towards the last chapter of the Metal Resistance, the countdown has been started...", and it implied that "Black Night" (the next day) was the last chapter and BABYMETAL would..., but the epilogue of "Black Night" said "The first chapter of the Metal Resistance has been completed in this land", and it implied the 1st chapt. was from 2012 Oct. to 2014 Mar. and the 2nd chapt. was to begin soon.

Until "Black Night", it had been the resistance against the Big Power "Idols" (= AKB group), but thereafter "Idols" have not been referred to and it is not clear what the Metal Resistance is against.

Babymetal's back-story is something like (but less consistent than) those of "Dragon Ball", "Saint Seiya", etc,

The prologues to songs such as "Akatsuki" & "Onedari DaiSakusen" sometimes have some relevence to others but sometimes have no relevance to others.

Interesting. I'm not quite sure what to make of the inconsistencies. Clearly, there are some consistencies throughout, too. Of course, only KobaMetal knows for sure, and he doesn't seem to be revealing anything.

I feel that, despite the slightest understanding what the heck is going on (again, I don't understand more than a word here and there), the presentation is very well done - tying the whole performance together with bits of story, whether 100% related or not, adds an extra element of audience engagement. It's not quite as theatrical as Alice Cooper's "Welcome To My Nightmare" tour's performances were, but I can definitely feel the influence.

I don't really know if many other Japanese bands have done anything similar.

Either way, I do hope they keep it up, and keep refining their stage show. All the performances I have seen video of so far have been excellent, even if the older shows mostly featured the Skeleton Band more than the Kami Band.